Welchland

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Sleeping

Last night when I went in to check on Lincoln before I went to bed (yes, I still have to check and make sure he's still breathing. It's a thing. Doubt I'll ever get over it), I hung out in his room staring at him sleeping for a while. As in, I hung over the side of the crib with my hand on his back, listening to him breathe, feeling his torso rise and fall and staring at his beautiful little face, marveling at how amazing he is.

I marvel at him often, but usually at night I look at him, check to make sure he's breathing and warm enough, and then beat a hasty retreat before he wakes up because he senses me in the room (this has happened before). But last night I just couldn't. I had to give in to my amazement at the wonder of him, which really means at the wonder of God. I mean, come on: Lincoln didn't used to exist!! And now he's a walking, talking little person. Wow.

Every day I marvel (and sometimes cry) at how quickly Lincoln grows and learns and changes. I think about how last year at this time he was just 3 months old! and could hardly lift his head. I think about how he loves to talk, walk and eat crackers, and how he couldn't do any of those things just a few short months ago.

And then I think about how quickly the last year has gone, and I want to cry even more thinking that all too soon, Lincoln won't be my little baby anymore. He'll be a boy, and then a man, and then I won't be able to protect him from the world. Even though I know that he has to face trouble and failure and challenges in order to develop into the man he will become.

Sigh. I want to cry just thinking about it.

Instead, I'll enjoy every single second of being Lincoln's mommy, even when he cries and throws his entire bowl of food on the floor because he wants brownies instead of grilled chicken!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

14 months later

...I am finished with the pregnancy scrapbook!

Yes, it took me 14 months to finish (OK, to start and finish) my scrapbook of all the cards and notes we received from the beginning of my pregnancy, through baby showers, Lincoln's arrival and subsequent NICU stay, and finally to his homecoming. I know 14 months really isn't THAT bad, but still.

And when I say "scrapbook," I mean "paste the cards on plain white pages." I am not a scrapbooker--I have NO patience to sit and pick out different background papers, cut cute pictures with cool scissors and layer. I paste and stick.

The good news, other than this, is that I've been pretty much keeping up with his baby book, so that will never be a huge chore. Just have to remember to keep up with that until he starts flippin' Kindergarten.

Anyway, the card scrapbook is done, and I feel very productive. Now I need to get another book to put Lincoln's stuff from his birthday in. Hopefully that will be done before he is two!

As I worked on the scrapbook, I got a little teary remembering how how wonderful our friends and family were, and are. Everyone was SO supportive and generous, it was incredibly overwhelming--and is still overwhelming when I think about it.

The entire journey of pregnancy, birth, NICU stay and homecoming was the most amazing experience of my life, and it was made even more amazing by all of our family and friends, and friends of friends!

Thank you all for everything you did and continue to do for us. You bless and enrich our lives!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Lincoln walking

This is the first halfway decent video of Lincoln walking I've been able to capture. When he sees the camera, the little bugger always drops to all fours and crawls to me as fast as he can (which is pretty fast) so he can see the video/photo on my side!

Notice how worn the knees of his jeans are? That's how much this kid loves to crawl!

He walked so well in this video that I had to keep scooting--hopefully it won't make you seasick.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

No photos in this post

And that's because Lincoln is weaned! So really, what would I post a photo of? Him fussing in the morning because he wants to nurse?

I had already cut down from four nursings to two nursings a day by the middle of February. Then the last week or so of February I was just nursing him in the morning; or rather, I nursed him for the last time on February 28, and he had a bottle in the morning for two days after that. And then no more! George said he was fine with it. Of course, when I got up with him this last Saturday and Sunday, he got upset because he wasn't nursing on me, but hopefully that won't last long.

I stopped pumping in the morning last week and was in SEVERE pain most of the week. YOW. I'd cut down nursing so much that I thought I wouldn't get engorged, but boy was I WRONG! I couldn't lift my arms or turn without screaming in pain, so obviously working out was out. And every time I picked Lincoln up I had to clamp my mouth shut so I wouldn't yell.

But now things are much better, and my boy is no longer much of a baby! Makes me sad, really. I nursed for 13 months, and it's suddenly no longer part of my life. But it is very nice to be able to be out without rushing home to nurse!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

First birthday party

Lincoln's first birthday party was Sunday the 24th, the day after his actual birthday. Since I did most of the actual unwrapping (how that will change next year!), the best photos were of him attacking his cake, sans hands.

I made this puppy cake for him.

It was WAY more stressful than I ever thought it would be,

but worth it in the end because...

Lincoln really liked it!:

Lincoln dove face first into the puppy's ear:

And then proceeded to gnaw on it like an ear of corn
until he finally realized he could also use his hands:

He had a blast!:

Finally, here is a video of Lincoln's second or third foray around the room pushing his new truck from Grandpa and Grandma. The first few times, he just fell flat on his face because he couldn't figure out how to get his legs to keep up with the rest of him! But in this video, he's really getting it, and now he pushes it everywhere.

Lincoln is a year old!

Lincoln turned one year old on January 23rd!

He is such a smiley, happy, wonderful little man.

What did we do before he came along??

He is the joy of our lives!

Lincoln's 1-year stats

Weight: 21 pounds, 1 oz (24th percentile)

Height: 30" (58th percentile)

AND he has 6 teeth! 2 on bottom & 4 on top

Our chubby chunka boy is starting to get longer and leaner like his daddy.

1-year likes & loves:

*LLAMA CAT*

(calls Llama "Ba", like "ball" without the "l"s.

Hey, it rhymes with Llama!)

*Eating*

*Crawling super fast, cruising,

standing alone for a few seconds until he realizes he is*

*Babbling nonstop*

*Laughing*

*Dogs--

seeing them, seeing pictures of them, hearing them bark*

*Drinking water from the straw cup*

*Pushing his walker truck, dining room chairs, his high chair...*

*Books*

*Balls*

*Dancing*

*Rolling balls under the couch*

*Pushing buttons on things he's not supposed to touch:

remote controls, TV, speaker, phone*

Lincoln says

"Mama" & "Dada"

"ruff ruff" & "meow"

"at" (hat)

"ot" (hot)

"uh oh"

"hey"

"quack" (OK, he said that once. Yesterday.)

"I love you"

No, really! The other day I said "I love you!",

and since he'd just heard a dog bark, he ruffed & said "I love you."

Seriously! It was very Scooby Doo-ish: "Ri Ruv U."

But it REALLY sounded like "I love you"!

1-year dislikes:

*Teething*

*Being sick (first cold & ear infection around his birthday)*

*Being told "no"*

*Not being able to talk & tell us what he wants*

*Having face & hands washed, teeth brushed, or nose wiped*

I can't believe he is (over) a year old already!

Dexterosity

I kind of doubt that's a word, so let's go with dexterous instead.

A couple of weeks ago, Lincoln decided that it would be fun to attempt to re-buckle himself in his high chair. And he sat and tried for AGES--at least 10 minutes straight. Then he cried when I took him out of the chair...he hadn't gotten it buckled yet!! Don't worry, little man. All too soon you'll be able to do things on your own, without Mommy's help.